by John Marshall

“ Lieutenant Leach was removed to the Isis, at the particular request of Captain Mitchell; and we subsequently find him serving under the late Lord Collingwood, in the Triumph 74, off Brest. His next appointment appears to have been to the Falcon 14, which sloop was converted into a fire-vessel, and sent with three others to attempt the destruction of four French frigates, in Dunkirk roads; an enterprise already noticed under the head of Captain Patrick Campbell [1] . Between July, 1800, and Nov. 1801, he commanded the hired armed vessels Thetis and Earl Spencer. ”

“ We next find Lieutenant Leach proceeding in the Black Joke lugger, to the coast of Spain, on a special service; and afterwards commanding the Desperate, mortar-vessel, on the Downs station. He served as an agent for transports during the Walcheren expedition, in 1809; obtained the command of the Arrow schooner, on his return from the Scheldt; and was advanced to the rank of commander in Oct. 1810. Between Sept. 1814 and Dec. 1815, he commanded the Martial sloop, successively employed on the Irish, West India, and Channel stations. ”

“ After the renewal of hostilities, in 1803, he was successively appointed to raise seamen at Lynn, in Norfolk; to serve under Captain Richard Grindall, in the Prince 98; to command the Jennet cutter; to assist in training the Topsham district of Sea-Fencibles ”